


Horses

by muscatmusic18



Series: October Prompts [3]
Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, France - Freeform, Horseback Riding, Howard has to own everything, Vineyard in France
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 11:36:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8204848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muscatmusic18/pseuds/muscatmusic18
Summary: Peggy and Daniel take a much needed vacation to Howard's co-owned vineyard in France.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A little longer one for Day Three of my October Prompts. It's a little strange, more of a rough draft than anything, but I think it's fun.

The couple had been working themselves to the bone, sleeping in intermittent spurts and consuming an ungodly amount caffeine, for everyone was working on the ‘lead’ sent in about the two-year-old unsolved case of Jack’s shooter. The supposed hint seemed to be proving to be as helpful as lead pipe on a sinking boat, but when Peggy and Daniel had a very public fight in the middle of the bullpen, it was Howard that whisked in and saved the lives of every single agent by forcing the two and a much needed vacation to a vineyard in the south of France that he co-owned.

“Wait, wait, so Stark decided he wanted a vineyard, but he didn’t want a whole one, so he went to France, and convinced a company to let him co-own it, just so he could brag about it?” Daniel was still chuckling, empty glasses of wine sitting forgotten in front of them as Peggy and Daniel chatted on their way to France.

“That’s how I understood the story. Of course, my telling didn’t have as many flourishes as Howard’s, but I think you get the essence of it.” She finished, the two dissolving into laughter. 

They were silent for a moment before Daniel spoke. “Listen, I wanted to apologize for the other day. For fighting itself, but then for fighting in the middle of the bullpen. It’s not an excuse, but I was just so tired that day, and my temper was a pretty short. I’m really sorry, Peg.”

She scooted closer to him, shaking her head. “Don’t apologise. I pushed you, even though I saw the signs that you angry. It was mutual, and mostly my fault; we were both tired and frustrated, and it just wasn’t a good combination. I’m sorry too, you know. I know I’m not easy to handle when I’m frustrated.”

“I can handle you just fine, it was just a bad day.” He comforted with a smile.

She stroked his cheek, kissing him before dozing on his shoulder the rest of the way to France.

~~~~~~~~~

They were greeted on the tarmac by the other owner of the vineyard, a fast speaking man with a very thick French accent. He gladly took their bags and escorted them to his car, giving the couple little tidbits along the way.

One the way to the property, Daniel conversed with the man in French, who was overly delighted to speak in his native tongue. Peggy was able to catch a few words, not enough to join the conversation, but she was perfectly happy to just listen.

At the property, the owner, Hugo, showed them to their suite, and the showed them the house and the grounds, including their last stop, the stables.

“Monsieurs Sousa, these are our stables. We house our work horses here, but we also have some pleasure horses if either of you are interested. There are some beautiful fields to go riding in.”

“Oh, that would be lovely! I don’t have riding cloths, though.” Peggy said,

“Oh, that is no problem, Madame Sousa. I can have someone go out to get you some if you would be interested.”

“I don’t want to be a bother.” She protested.

“You would be no trouble! I’ll send someone out tonight.” 

“Thank you very much, Hugo, that will be lovely.” She said, already eyeing one of the horses in the stalls. From there, Hugo left the couple to a light dinner and to rest from their flight.

In their room, Peggy had started to unpack before Daniel came up behind her, kissing her neck.

“Thank you for agreeing to come here. We needed this.” He murmured.

She hummed, turning in his arms to face him. “I don’t really think we had a choice, but either way, I’m glad we came, this will be fun for us. Though I worry about the case…”

“Jack has it under control. There’s no one more determined to catch the shooter than him.”

“I know. I still worry.” She paused, running her hands down his chest. “Maybe if I had something to distract me.” She purred, pulling on his tie.

“Oh? And what would that distraction be?” He teased, his lips curling into a smile.

“I’m not sure. If only I had a kind and handsome husband here with me, then it would be so easy.” She smirked, pressing closer to him.

“Well, we do have to christen at least one room while we’re here.”

She laughed, pulling him into a kiss before falling into the bed with him.

~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, she awoke to find a package outside their door, only to be overjoyed to find riding clothes she was promised.

“Oh, these are lovely! And there’s a pair of trousers in here for you, if you would like to come along.” She called, inspecting a pair of breeches for herself.

He sat next to her on the bed. “I‘d love to, but I’d just slow you down. Plus, I’m not entirely sure how it would work.”

She cupped the back of his neck, pulling his eyes to her’s. “You can never slow me down. Besides, we’ll figure out how you can ride. I would love to have you with me.”

“I’ll come then. It seems like fun.” He decided, lacing his fingers through her’s.

“It will be.” She said with a girlish look of glee on her face. “How about we leave in a few hours?”

“Sounds perfect, dear.”

A little later, Daniel sat on a foot stool, inspecting the riding trousers that had been bought for him. They were like normal pants, but with a little extra padding and stitching. 

The sound of the bathroom door opening caught his attention, and his jaw almost dropped at the sight. There, standing before him, was Peggy Carter-Sousa, looking like she was made to be on top of a horse. She was wearing white breeches and shirt, contrasting nicely with the black boots and the red hunter’s jacket slung over her arm, along with black leather gloves. Her curls was pulled back, revealing her neck and giving her a slight debauched look.

“Well? Are you ready?” She urged with a hand on her hip.

Arm in arm, they headed down to the stables, where they found a beautiful bay for Daniel and a powerful, black beauty for Peggy. She lead the horses out of their stalls and tied them up. A few men came out, asking if she would like help, but she politely turned them away. From there, the two curried the beasts, Peggy cooing to them, the whole time.

“So, where did you learn to ride?” He asked while they tacked their steeds.

“My grandmother taught me. Of course, she had to teach me all the formalities, the ‘lady-like’, sidesaddle way to ride, but it was also her that taught me that if you want to ride with the men, you have to ride like one.” She threw the saddle onto her horse’s back, anchoring the billets down as she went.

“I see where you get your rebellious streak.” He remarked with a grin, tightening the girth.

She chuckled. “No, I already had that. It was just my grandmother that enabled me.” She coaxed the bit into the horse’s mouth.

Daniel, laughed, picturing a small Peggy, a spitting image of her her grandmother, riding a horse at breakneck speed.

“So what about you? Where did you learn how to tack?” She asked, leaning against a stall next to him.

“A small barn that I worked at a couple summers when I was a kid. I never really rode, though, growing up in the city and all, so I’m not really sure how this will work.”

“Well, let’s find out. I’m sure there’s a mounting block somewhere.”

She led their horses around the corner, tying her’s up and leading Daniel’s to the block before helping him up, steadying him as he put his real leg in the stirrup and held the saddle down has he swung the prosthetic over.

“All right?” She asked, adjusting Daniel’s prosthetic in the stirrup and laying a comforting hand on his thigh.

“I’m good. What about my crutch, though?” He motioned to the piece of aluminum leaning against the barn.

“Leave it. I’ll help you if we get off.”

Daniel nodded, watching as she put her foot in the stirrup and lifted herself off the ground with nothing but her strength. Once in the saddle she met his eyes and shot him a coy smile, not missing the wolfish look he had tried to hide. He blushed, and she urged her horse forward with a smug smile on her face, leaving him to catch up.

They wound their way from the stables to a trail, finally establishing a rhythm side by side where they could chat the whole way. Daniel was anxious at first, but Peggy and her steed seemed to take the lead, and he was able to relax.

For a blissful hour, they followed the trail, winding through green hills and valleys, until they peaked the last hill, turning around for the treat if the whole ride. They could see everything from their spot, from the ground they just covered to the house they were staying in to the acres and acres of grapes, growing in the warm, afternoon sun for the wine cellars just beyond.

“This is beautiful.” She sighed, resting her hands on the horse’s neck.

“It really is. Did you ever ride in a place like this?” He asked, watching her watch the scene in front of them.

“Nothing like this. We had some trails in the forest, giving it an extra challenge, but not the wide open spaces like this. I would love to run across these, nothing but the green in front of me and the wind in my face.”

“Why don’t you?” He asked motioning to the view in front of him,

She pressed her lips together, hope shining in her eyes. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. I’ll be fine. Go.”

She smiled again, trotting down the hill before pressing her horse into a canter, and then a gallop. He watched the ease she did this with, absorbing any shock with her knees to make her look as graceful as a swan; the following dance partner in a waltz. He heard her laugh ring out through the valley below him, and he could picture her face: a wild gleam in her eye and the spirit of a horse in her heart.

He walked after her, watching the pair become smaller in the distance, before they turned around and came speeding back. She returned out of breath and windblown, but with a smile still etched on her face.

Peggy and Daniel made their way back, chatting once again, but more at ease than before. She had gotten to let go, and he had gotten to see the wild side of Peggy, something he found more attractive than anything on the green earth. They differed so much from each other at times, but it was moments like these, when they truly saw the differences, that they were more alike than ever before.

**Author's Note:**

> In case you are interested, this is the top of Peggy's riding outfit.
> 
> http://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2014/06/Hardwick.jpg
> 
> These are the boots.
> 
> http://www.fashionnewsworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/riding-boots-10.jpg
> 
> And these are the gloves.
> 
> http://3.imimg.com/data3/IB/JR/MY-13932371/horse-riding-gloves-500x500.jpg


End file.
